ABSOLUTE MOTION MTB TRAING CAMP | 13 DES 2023 – 17 DES 2023

Absolute Motion offered a 4-day mountainbike training camp in December.  I jumped at the opportunity, as I stay far away from a cycling community such as this.

We stayed at Old Haliwell Country Inn near Howick and throughout the camp, enjoyed delicious meals and great company. I was inspired to listen to the cycling journeys of Frances Janse van Rensberg and Unathi Nxumalo. As the youngest rider at the camp, I felt hopeful –  Everyone had to start somewhere. I was at the right place at the right time.

We experienced the KZN midlands in every possible way. Hot, cold, wet, dry, tired and proud. Overall, we rode just over 300km. This was my first structured training camp ever. I learnt much more than just how to ride my bike…I learnt the importance of nutrition, pacing myself during multi-day stages, effective bike skills and of course, how helpful “ass magic” can be.

I started this camp with the goal of completing each day’s route and to overcome my negative mindset. Let me tell you, the first day’s ride already humbled me, my longest gravel ride at 95km.

The 3rd day was by far my biggest challenge. We planned on 120km, but because of the wet weather, thank goodness, we ended on 100km. The route wasn’t hard, but I could feel the previous two hard training days in my legs-I was tired and I cramped badly.  My hamstring kept throwing fits. This wasn’t all bad though…through this, I learned some valuable tips and tricks from the others about what to do when you cramp and how to pace myself and finish what I started. I had to learn to admit that I was struggling.

I loved the team’s efforts to help and support each other. Thanks to them, I succeeded in my goal to overcome a negative mindset and on top of it, learnt about the wonders of a “peanutbutter-broodjie” at the snack stops. My biggest lesson from this camp is the importance of good nutrition in my cycling.

The last day was my absolute favorite! Karkloof offers some of the best single-track trails I have ever ridden, so I could focus on improving my skills and bike control.  The KZN Midlands is a truly beautiful place.

“I learned that I am capable of a lot more than I thought. Determination is an important key to cycling and I needed a lot of that to get through this rigorous training camp. After the 4 days of riding and practicing, I feel much more confident and in control of my bike…A big take-away for me!”

Thanks to a few brushes with the Karkloof trees, I left a bit more bruised than I expected, but more importantly also with new friendships, amazing experiences and important lessons learnt.

Follow Luzaan on Instagram to keep up with her cycling journey.